After a shooting in the US, the rivalry between Indian gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar now appears to be playing out in Dubai. On Thursday, gangster Rohit Godara, an ally of Brar, allegedly took responsibility for the killing of Lawrence’s close aide — a man named, Sukhdeep Singh alias Sippa.According to police officers, Sippa, who hailed from Punjab, was an alleged financier of the Lawrence Bishnoi group and had been living in Dubai for a few years.In a purported Facebook post, which Indian agencies said they are verifying, Godara claimed they had killed Sippa in Dubai by slitting his throat as he was allegedly helping the Lawrence group send people to Germany to kill their rivals.Story continues below this ad“Sippa, while sitting in Dubai, used to threaten people in Canada and America, saying they would never be able to reach him no matter what they did. People say Dubai is safe, but enmity with us will not keep you safe anywhere. It may take time, but we will never spare you,” the purported post stated.According to police sources, financiers, bookies, and punters associated with these gangs choose to operate from Dubai, assuming they face little risk of being targeted or killed because of the region’s stringent law enforcement.Lawrence has been behind bars since 2014 and is currently lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Central Jail. Brar and Godara are believed to be in the US. The trio were allegedly involved in the conspiracy to kill Punjabi musician Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022.A look at the three menThe son of a well-off agriculturist in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, Lawrence faces two dozen cases of murder, attempt to murders and extortion and is believed to be operating his gang from inside the jail.Story continues below this adHe first hit headlines over his alleged plan to carry out an attack on Salman Khan. Police said the Bishnoi gang holds a grudge against Khan, purportedly over him shooting a blackbuck in 1998. The gang has issued multiple threats to the actor, including firing outside his house in November 2023 and the October 12 killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique, the actor’s close friend.From Rajasthan’s Bikaner, Godara is a close confidante of Brar. In June 2022, he reportedly flew to Dubai from Delhi using a fake passport under the name Pawan Kumar. He is currently believed to be in the United Kingdom. A Red Corner Notice has been issued against him by security agencies.Brar hails from Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab. Apart from the Moose Wala case, he is accused of orchestrating the murder of District Youth Congress president Gurlal Singh Pehalwan in Faridkot. The government issued a Red Corner Notice against him in 2022. He is currently wanted by the National Investigation Agency, Delhi Police and Punjab Police.The splitSources said the Brar and Lawrence gangs split earlier this year, after Lawrence grew upset with Brar and Godara over their handling of his younger brother Anmol’s case in the US.Story continues below this adAnmol, wanted in connection with the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique and the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai, had been detained by US authorities in November 2024.“Central intelligence agencies received information that Brar and Godara did not assist Anmol in filing the required bail bond. Although Anmol was later released, he was fitted with an ankle bracelet tracker,” sources had said earlier.“Brar then began working with Godara, while Lawrence became associated with Canada-based Noni Rana. This feud and the emergence of their new syndicates have become a growing source of tension for state police forces,” an officer had said.The rift played out in October, when the Brar-Godara gang claimed responsibility for an attack on three associates of Lawrence in California’s Fresno. In this attack, one person was killed and another was injured.